Crumbling Forces, The Shadow Garden Makes Its Appearance

"What kind of demonic sorcery is this?!"

"Ahhh! Don’t kill me! Spare me!"

"I—I can see my ancestors!"

The more resilient cultivators desperately warned their comrades, channeling mental clarity techniques.

"Steady your minds! Don’t let the illusions deceive you!"

Yet the next moment—

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The six arms of the Shadow Ghost God morphed into colossal bone blades, their slashes like black lightning, cleaving through dozens of allied cultivators in an instant!

Squelch—!

"ARGHHH!!!"

Though their bodies remained intact, their souls were shredded as if flayed by a thousand cuts, their agonized screams fading into mindless husks.

But the true horror lay in what followed—

The dead rose again.

The fallen cultivators’ corpses twisted and lurched upright, their eye sockets burning with eerie blue flames as they turned on their former allies with guttural snarls.

"No! Elder Li! I’m your disciple!"

"Senior Brother Wang! Snap out of it! AHH—!"

"Xiao Mei!! I’m your sworn partner!!"

Chaos erupted among the allied forces.

"Damn it!"

The senior cultivators watched as their disciples were driven to madness by a single abomination.

Their fury shook them to the core.

These so-called elites, who had lazed about in the Greater World, squandering resources a thousandfold richer than those of lesser realms, now revealed their pathetic weakness under mere illusions.

Meanwhile, the ascendants from minor worlds stood firm, their resolve unshaken, even rallying their ranks to counterattack.

Disgraceful. After this battle, a thorough purge was inevitable.

But their wrath burned brightest toward one figure—

Their venomous gazes locked onto Su Muwan behind Qin Luo: "Su Muwan!!"

"Your cruelty knows no bounds!!"

Su Muwan: ?

"You dare teach your followers such vile arts?! This defies the natural order! It’s heresy!"

"Exactly!"

"Turning the slain into undead puppets—this is the work of demons!"

"We, the righteous, will—"

"Grind your bones to dust! For the sake of all living souls!"

The Radiant Empress struck first.

Golden lotuses bloomed, their purifying light scattering some of the miasma.

She roared, "Suppress that monstrosity first! Form the ‘Nine Heavens Demon-Sealing Array’!"

"Now!"

Han Tianqing and six other domain lords swiftly formed hand seals. Seven radiant pillars shot skyward, weaving into golden chains that coiled around the Shadow Ghost God.

"BOOM—!"

The ghost god thrashed and howled, the chains fracturing—but for now, it was restrained.

Qin Luo shook his head. This outcome was expected.

The Shadow Ghost God was, after all, a mere construct.

Hoping it could solo a hundred cultivators of equal rank had been naive.

Still, it could be upgraded further.

Clearing out the cannon fodder was enough.

As for the rest...

Qin Luo smirked. "Well, milady, it’s your turn."

"Hmph!"

Su Muwan scoffed.

Meanwhile, the allied forces seized their chance.

"Now! Kill Su Muwan!"

The Radiant Empress shrieked, her golden lotus morphing into a blade of divine light aimed straight for Su Muwan’s heart.

The other domain lords unleashed their deadliest techniques in unison—

"Heavenly Thunder: Annihilation!"

"Frozen Soul: Eternal Prison!"

"Blazing Sacred Flame: Wildfire!"

Dozens of peak Dominator-level attacks merged into a cataclysmic tide, collapsing space and erasing all in its path.

Despite the chaos, their goal remained clear:

Su Muwan. Must. Die.

Their losses demanded her head.

Yet—

Facing this obliterating onslaught, Su Muwan didn’t even blink.

"Is this all?"

She smirked, lazily raising her right hand—

[Absolute Zero: Frost Genesis]

Hummm!

An icy-blue halo erupted from her, expanding outward.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Every spell, artifact, and even stray wisps of spiritual energy froze solid upon contact, suspended in glacial stasis.

"Impossible?!"

The Radiant Empress’s pupils contracted—her golden lotus, mid-strike, shattered like glass.

Splurt!!!

As her bonded treasure fractured, blood gushed from her orifices, her cultivation plummeting.

Even if she survived, she’d be forever stuck at the half-step to Eternal Realm.

But the worst was yet to come—

Su Muwan clenched her fist.

"Burst."

BOOOOM—!

The frozen attacks detonated in reverse, icy shrapnel raining down on the allied forces like a deadly hailstorm.

Thud! Thud! Thud!!!

The domain lords scrambled to evade, but many were too slow—their shoulders and thighs impaled by glacial spikes.

And worse—their blood froze before it could even spill.

"This can’t be real! How is she this powerful?!"

"No Dominator should possess such strength!"

Terror, like a plague, infected the hearts of these lofty rulers.

For the first time in centuries, a chilling thought crept into their minds:

They might actually die here.

Lei Zhentian, tied up at the rear, gaped in disbelief.

"Wait—"

"Uh…"

He shrank back, squeezing his eyes shut.

At least I only got slapped around. My bonded treasure’s intact. Small mercies.

For once, being hogtied in the back row felt like a blessing.

Beyond the battlefield...

Tap, tap.

Su Muwan strode through the air, each step amplifying the terror in the hearts of the onlookers.

She gazed down imperiously at the assembled Domain Lords, her voice icy. "I gave you all a chance."

"Now... it ends."

[Frozen Domain: Eternal Prison of Ice!]

Whoosh—!

In an instant, the land for miles around transformed into a crystalline world. The allied cultivators didn’t even have time to scream before they were frozen into statues of ice.

Yet, whether by intent or not, only most of the allied forces were frozen—some were left untouched.

The Domain Lords, including the Radiant Empress, exchanged glances.

They knew that if they didn’t muster every ounce of their strength now, they would all perish here.

And so, they unleashed their most devastating techniques.

"Everyone!!"

"Form the array with me!"

The Radiant Empress’s voice rang out sharply as she unleashed her final surge of oppressive might.

"Nine Heavens Sealing Array!"

"Blazing Heaven Holy Fire Barrier!"

"Frozen Sky Ice Soul Seal!"

The surviving Domain Lords gritted their teeth, weaving hand seals as radiant pillars of light erupted into the sky.

Above, the pillars intertwined into a colossal barrier, forcibly resisting the encroaching frost.

Crack—!

The collision of ice and fire erupted in blinding brilliance, warping space and shattering natural laws!

Blood trickled from the Radiant Empress’s lips, yet she let out a savage laugh. "Su Muwan! Did you truly believe you alone could suppress all the Sacred Domains?!"

The other Domain Lords roared in unison, "Pour everything into the array! We’ll drain this venomous witch dry!"

BOOM—!

The array’s radiance flared violently, pushing back against the Frozen Domain!

Su Muwan’s brow furrowed slightly.

Though she had reached the mid-stage of the Sovereign Realm, facing the combined might of dozens of Domain Lords was no trivial matter.

But just then—

Thunk!

An icy blade suddenly pierced through the chest of one Domain Lord from behind!

"Gh—?!"

The Domain Lord looked down in disbelief at the sword protruding from his chest, then turned to the figure beside him.

"Han... Han Tianqing?! You—!"

Was he insane?!

Attacking his own allies?!

CRACK!!

The combined array shattered.

Su Muwan paused, frowning as she observed the sudden betrayal below.

What were they playing at?

"!!!"

The other Domain Lords were stunned, their pupils trembling as they witnessed the scene.

Their minds screamed in silent hysteria.

What the hell?!

We were about to win!!

The Radiant Empress, weakened by the array’s backlash, whipped her head around and snarled, "Han Tianqing! Have you lost your mind?!!"

"Han Tianqing" didn’t answer. Instead, he reached up and tore off his disguise—

Under the shocked gazes of the crowd, shadows writhed, revealing his true form.

Clad in a billowing black robe, his face hidden behind a playing card mask, his voice rasped like echoes from the abyss:

"Gentlemen, the Han Tianqing you knew is dead."

"Allow me to reintroduce myself."

"I am... the Shadow Garden’s Phantom."

Before anyone could react, he spread his arms—

RIIIP—!

The sky split apart!

From a colossal, pitch-black rift, endless shadow creatures poured forth like a tidal wave!

Ning Duanlang, Hui Ming, Master Zhang, the Blood Blade Demon Slayer, Li Xuanfeng...

The Shadow Generals had arrived.

"Where shadows tread, destiny kneels!"

"Today, we invite the Sacred Domain Lords—to their deaths!"

The crowd was horrified: !!

Qin Luo flew to Su Muwan’s side, his voice grave. "Milady... this is bad..."

Su Muwan: ?

Excuse me?? Huh?? Try acting innocent now!